Friday January 18, 2019

ABC launching Matchbox Pictures’ Arcadia Heights this February

ABC’sThe Heights will take viewers into the inner-city neighbourhood of Arcadia Heights next month when it launches on ABC on Friday, 22 February at 8.30pm (AEDT).

Viewers can enjoy double episodes every Friday or binge as many episodes as they like, with all 30 episodes available on ABC iview following the launch broadcast.

From the producers of The Slap and Barracuda, The Heights is a charming and entertaining serial drama exploring the relationships between the residents of the Arcadia social housing tower and the people who live in the rapidly gentrifying community that surrounds it.

Shot in Western Australia, The Heights provided a huge boost to the local television industry, employing nearly 100 local crew and casting 93 speaking and extras roles, including several first-time actors, writers and directors.

The Heights is produced by Matchbox Pictures and For Pete’s Sake Productions for ABC and developed and produced with the assistance of ABC in association with Screenwest, Lotterywest and NBCUniversal. International sales will be handled by NBCUniversal Distribution.

The Heights has been created in-house at Matchbox Pictures by WarrenClarke (Mustangs FC) and co-creator Que Minh Luu.

Produced by Peta Astbury-Bulsara (The Marriage of Figaro, Almost Midnight) and Warren Clarke (Mustangs FC).

Executive produced by Debbie Lee for Matchbox Pictures and Sally Riley and Que Minh Luu for the ABC.

Asher Keddie and Richard Roxburgh star in SBS drama The Hunting

Seven-time Logie winner Asher Keddie (Offspring, The Cry) and AACTA/Logie winner Richard Roxburgh (Rake, Hacksaw Ridge) lead an ensemble cast in the new four-part SBS original drama The Hunting, which goes into production this week in Adelaide.

Produced by Closer Productions for SBS, with major production investment from Screen Australia in association with the South Australian Film Corporation, The Hunting intimately and dramatically imagines the lives of four teenagers, their teachers and families throughout the lead up, revelation and aftermath of a nude teen photo scandal.

When two high school teachers discover students are sharing explicit photos of their underage friends and peers online, the revelation has unbearable consequences for the students and their families. Tackling themes of misogyny, privacy, sexuality and sexualisation, online exploitation, toxic masculinity and gender, the series uses this singular event as a way of exploring some of the most pressing issues of our time and offering a vital portrait of modern, multicultural Australia.

Richard Roxburgh

SBS director of television and online content Marshall Heald said:

“SBS is committed to telling stories that spark debate and drive understanding about some of the uncomfortable and often untold realities impacting contemporary Australia. The Hunting joins SBS’s critically acclaimed slate of local dramas, including Safe Harbour, Sunshine and On The Ropes as an intense and compelling series that delves into what is arguably one of the biggest issues of our ‘social media era’ – cyberbullying.”

Producer/director Sophie Hyde said:

“With The Hunting we explore teens using technology within sexual context and reframe the conversation to be about trust and consent, considering how we are culturally responsible and exploring how we all navigate this. As co-creator and producer of the show I couldn’t be more delighted to work with our skilled, empathetic team and partners to tell this story, and to be joined in directing by Ana Kokkinos, a filmmaking hero of mine, who brings her considerable skills and talent to this vital work.”

Director Ana Kokkinos said:

“This is a powerful, thought-provoking story, imbued with complex characters, and drama with big ideas and questions. It is exciting to be working with such high calibre experienced actors as well as talented newcomers, who between them all, reflect the rich cultural diversity of our society.”

The Hunting is a Closer Productions production for SBS, with major production investment from SBS and Screen Australia, in association with the South Australian Film Corporation. International sales are handled by DCD Rights.

Full list of Mediaweek Industry Awards 2018 Winners

In November and December, we ran a poll with 16 different categories across a number of media platforms to decide the winners of the 2018 Mediaweek Industry Awards. Over the last few weeks, we have announced the winners and runner-ups for each category, and on Monday that will be complete with announcement of the Mediaweek Industry Award for CEO of the Year 2018.

Below is a complete list of the winners for every category that has been announced:

Best Television Drama Series 2018: Wentworth

The Foxtel drama that was recently renewed for another 20 episodes was a clear winner in the first category of the Mediaweek Industry Awards.

The prison drama is made by Fremantle for Foxtel and has also had amazing success around the world in both program sales and also as a format.

Fremantle’s head of scripted Jo Porter recently explained to Mediaweek that the Turkish version of the format is the #1 drama in that country.

Best Television Comedy 2018: Shaun Micallef’s Mad As Hell

The Melbourne-based comedian has a long list of comedy shows on his CV with five of them using his name. None of them, or any of his other projects, have been quite as successful or enjoyed as long a run as this series.

Made for the ABC by ITV Studios, Shaun’s Micallef’s Mad As Hell this year wrapped up its ninth season during which the 100th episode went to air.

Best Television Reality 2018: Gogglebox

As the commissioner of the format, Foxtel’s Lifestyle channel gets first play every week on a Wednesday night for the 20 episodes of two seasons that are produced every year. Network 10 gets its crack at it the following night on the Thursday.

The show is going through a refresh at the moment with the producers confirming at the end of the recent season that popular Gogglebox home critics Angie and Yvie plus Wayneand Tom wouldn’t be returning in 2019 for season nine.

Given that Network 10 now has a new owner, it remains to be seen whether Foxtel and CBS will continue to share the series as they do now when time comes to review their contract.

Best Television Production Company 2018: Working Dog

The Melbourne-based production company is never far from a hit series and there are a couple on the books at the moment.

The company’s biggest success and biggest commission is the Network 10 Monday night comedy quiz format Have You Been Paying Attention?

The show is hosted by Working Dog co-founder Tom Gleisner and all his colleagues are involved behind the scenes – sometimes taking a place as a contestant too.

His Working Dog colleagues are executive producers Santo Cilauro, Rob Sitch and Michael Hirsh. Jane Kennedy is a regular contributor although her radio commitments in 2018 perhaps kept her away from the series for more weeks than usual.

The biggest hits amongst a diverse Working Dog catalogue are Frontline, The Panel, Thank God You’re Here and the already mentioned Have You Been Paying Attention?

The prolific producers are also behind the football podcast Santo, Sam & Ed’s Total Football, which delivered 33 episodes this year before signing off for its summer break. The trio who host the show are Santo Cilauro, Sam Pang and Ed Kavalee.

Sydney: Jonesy & Amanda (WSFM)

The breakfast show at ARN Sydney station WSFM has had another good year. The partnership of Amanda Keller and Brendan Jones is entering its 14th year and is one of the most successful partnerships ever on Sydney radio. In 2018 the show was #1 FM as recently as survey five and after a slip in the following survey it has finished the year strongly.

Melbourne: Fifi, Fev & Byron (101.9 Fox FM)

The breakfast show from the SCA Hit Network station slimmed down from three to four when DaveThornton left the line-up a year ago. The program didn’t miss a beat and has been the FM breakfast ratings champ in every survey of 2018. Fifi Box and Byron Cookehave a long history of working together and former footballer Brendan Fevola is as entertaining on the radio as he was on the football field.

Brisbane: Marto, Robin and the Moonman (104.5 Triple M)

The Brisbane show has had an incredible end to the year with a massive 14.1% share in breakfast, close to 4.0 ahead of its nearest rival which is an unheard of lead in a market that has been marked by its competiveness in recent years. The magic that Triple M Brisbane breakfast veteran GregMartin brings to the team will be called on again next year as he and colleague Robin Bailey lose Lawrence Mooney to Triple M Sydney. His replacement is comedian Nick Cody.

Adelaide: Jodie & Soda (Mix 102.3)

Mix 102.3’s Jodie and Soda share a trait similar to many successful breakfast radio shows. They aren’t big fans of air checks and they try to get away from work as soon as possible each day after their Adelaide Mix program.

“Quite often we find it is actually nice to live your life so you have things to talk about on air,” Jodie Oddy told Mediaweek earlier this year.

Mark “Soda” Soderstrom told Mediaweek there is not much incentive to stay close to the studio. “It has no windows that look outside. We feel a little like bats in there. To get out and see some sunlight is important to keep us alive.”

The Jodie and Soda partnership has just finished its fifth year, although Jodie Oddy has been with the broadcaster for 11 years.

Perth: Nathan, Nat & Shaun (Nova 93.7)

Nova breakfast with Nathan, Nat and Shaun had a fantastic year with a #1 ranking for the last five consecutive surveys. The most popular Perth breakfast show finished the year on 14.9%, just short of their best of 15.1%.

The breakfast show began with the launch of Nova 93.7 in 2002. At first it was the Nathan and Nat show hosted by Natalie Locke and Nathan Morris. The duo became a trio when co-host and sports news presenter Shaun McManus joined the team in 2009.

Best Breakfast Radio Show – AM 2018: Ross and John (3AW)

Ross Stevenson and John Burns with Luc Longley.

Now under the control of Nine Entertainment Co, the new proprietor will be happy that the co-host of Australia’s highest-rating metro breakfast show, has signed on for five more years. Stevenson explained recently to journalist Fiona Byrne that his new contract has triggers in it that could even extend the deal beyond five years. Contract negotiations with his co-host John Burns are believed to have concluded more recently, as the two have separate deals with the broadcaster. Stevenson is 3AW’s ratings dynamo and has been with the station since 1990. The program is a model on consistency and in the past three years the station’s lowest breakfast share was 17.8%.

Best Drive Radio Show 2018: Kate, Tim & Marty (Nova)

Nova Entertainment won 14 ACRAs at the Commercial Radio Awards earlier in 2018 with the national drive show Kate, Tim & Marty winning three of them.

The best drive radio show as voted for by Mediaweek readers won its ACRAs for Best Networked Program, Best Syndicated Australian Program and Kate Ritchie was awarded Best Entertainment Presenter.

MartySheargold is the comedic bomb thrower who lobs comedy gold that is often edgy, unpredictable and nearly always hilarious,Tim Blackwell is the glue that holds the trio together, and Kate Ritchie is the TV star-turned-radio sensation who helps draws a huge audience.

Best Streaming Platform 2018: Netflix

Forget how much it costs to subscribe – Netflix would have been hard to beat at any price from the sheer quantity alone of the material on offer. In fact there is so much content it is challenging for writers and critics covering the sector to keep up.

Earlier this year Netflix CFO David Wells indicated there could be about 700 originals shows available on the platform by now.

In terms of specific content for 2018, chief content officer Ted Sarandos has noted there were plans to have close to 80 original films released this year.

Best Australian Sports Commentator 2018: Bruce McAvaney (Seven)

The sports broadcasting veteran has long been associated with Seven’s AFL coverage every winter. Yet Bruce McAvaney is also linked with Seven’s Olympic coverage and until 2017 its coverage of the Australian Open Tennis. He is also a leader of Seven’s coverage of thoroughbred racing, although Seven no longer has the rights to the Melbourne Cup.

Most recently McAvaney has been given a spot on Seven’s Test Cricket team, hosting interviews during the lunch break.

His first interviews took place during the Melbourne Boxing Day test where his guests included Ricky Ponting and Dennis Lillee. Not all viewers greeted McAvaney as warmly as Mediaweek readers have, with some commenting it was strange to see him covering cricket.

McAvaney faced a health challenge for several years after revealing he had leukaemia. After a short break he continued working and his current target it to be with Seven for the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

Best Sports Show 2018: The Matty Johns Show (Fox Sports)

Until now Matty Johns has been spreading his talents across Fox Sports and Triple M plus a newspaper column for News Corp.

However Johns split with Triple M at the end of 2018, quitting The Grill Team as it undergoes a makeover with new host Lawrence Mooney.

Fox Sports likes to have exclusivity on its stars and it will be happy to have Johns on tap for 2019 and beyond without having to share the former rugby league star.

In 2018 on Fox Sports he hosted Sunday Night with Matty Johns, which featured Gorden Tallis, Nathan Hindmarsh, Bryan Fletcher, Lara Pitt and the Professor plus The Late Show with Matty Johns, following the Thursday night league game.

Best Sports Event Coverage 2018: AFL Grand Final (Seven)

For 2018 Seven announced it would make history by live-streaming the AFL Grand Final on select connected TVs for the first time.

Fans were able to watch the stream via Telstra TV, Apple TV, Fetch TV, PlayStation 4 and compatible Android TV devices, which together account for over 70% of Seven’s connected TV live streaming.

Those streaming numbers weren’t counted in the OzTAM audiences for what became the most-watched TV event of the year. The actual post-game presentation attracted the single biggest metro audience of the year – 2.616m (3.334m national). The Grand Final game between West Coast and Collingwood was not far behind though on 2.615m metro (3.392m national).

Best Australian Podcast 2018: The Teachers Pet (The Australian)

Five-times Walkley Award-winning journalist and The Australian’s national chief correspondent, Hedley Thomas, has spent many months investigating the 1982 disappearance of Lyn Dawson.

This is the News Corp journalist’s longest investigative work in 30 years. He first reported on the case 17 years ago, when the first coronial proceedings into the disappearance had been finalised. He originally planned to tell the story behind Dawson’s disappearance through a minimum of an eight-episode podcast series called The Teacher’s Pet.

The unprecedented success of the series has pushed it out to 16 episodes (so far) and recent developments means there could be quite a few more as the mystery gets closer to being solved.

The first episode of The Teacher’s Pet was released on May 17, 2018, with others to be published on a weekly basis. “There was an extraordinary reaction to the first episode. It led to all these disclosures about a group of male teachers at this school in Northern Beaches prying on schoolgirls,” Thomas told Mediaweek last year.

Best Print Magazine 2018: TV Week (Bauer)

The weekly TV listings magazine is most valued by Mediaweek readers. The brand is also home to the TV Week Logie Awards.

TV Week editor Thomas Woodgate spoke to Mediaweek after we relayed the good news:

“It’s a great honour to be voted Best Print Magazine by Mediaweek readers.

“There are so many great print magazines out there, so to be voted Best by the Mediaweekreaders is wonderful. The TV Week team and I really appreciate the recognition. We’ve spent the past year really trying to deliver the best possible TV and entertainment magazine each and every week that offers all the exclusive access to the stars and behind the scenes secrets that you won’t find anywhere else.

“Our readers are fiercely loyal and passionate about their TV shows and we work extremely hard to service them each and every week. This Mediaweek award is recognition of that and I’m thrilled.”

Best Australian News Brand 2018: ABC News

Perhaps a surprising win given the largely commercial focus Mediaweek has when it comes to covering news broadcasters and publishers.

However it is clear our readers value one of the biggest news gathering operations in Australia and one they pay for.

To learn a little more about ABC News in 2018 and to look ahead, we spoke with Gaven Morris, the ABC’s director news, analysis & investigations since October 2015.

What were the highlights and biggest challenges of 2018?

I’m very proud of how some of the new teams set up at the end of 2017 came to the fore: ABC Investigations led the way with the crowd-sourced investigation into aged care in Australia that led to the special two-part Four Corners and extensive broadcast and digital news coverage prompting a Royal Commission. The specialist reporting team produced a number of exclusives across platforms proving beat reporting is still fundamental to great journalism. It was an outstanding year for ABC News coverage around breaking events like the Liberal leadership change, the Thai caves rescue, the Trump presidency and many local stories in the states and territories.

Best Australian Journalist/Columnist 2018: Leigh Sales

People who value the ABC News offering also value the contribution from Leigh Sales and have voted accordingly.

Sales has a day job on the ABC primary channel and a number of other roles that helped to move our readers to choose her as the best.

That day job is the host of the daily current affairs show 7.30. After the 7pm edition of ABC News each day, 7.30 is usually the next most-watched program on the channel each weekday. Although the show is a collaborative effort from a big team, much of the attraction for audiences are the feature interviews that host Sales conducts.

A dual Walkley Award winner, Sales has interviewed dozens of world leaders and celebrities, from Australian prime ministers, Hillary Clinton, the Dalai Lama to Patti Smith, Harrison Ford and Julie Andrews. One of her most memorable in the past 12 months was with Paul McCartney.

TV Ratings Analysis: January 17

• Australian Open scores again for Nine with late, late show• Jungle admissions maintain Celebrity early evening lead• Lights out at the Gabba, but Seven audience waits for result

Week 3 2019 – Summer schedule – Thursday

By James Manning

Seven

The Big Bash League audience just touched 450,000 for the first session of the match at the Gabba between Brisbane Heat and the Sydney Sixers. Just after the second innings started the lights went out on one of the Gabba towers forcing a halt in play. The lights were never restored and the match was abandoned. Despite only a handful of overs being bowled, many Seven viewers stayed hoping for the lights to come back on as the second innings audience figures were 401,000. Helping fill in the time was a James Brayshaw-hosted cricket quiz.

Much earlier in the day, Seven was again on top at breakfast, recording its biggest audience of the week and winning in Sydney too:

Nine

There was plenty of great tennis on offer last night from 7pm until the wee hours of the morning. The final match of the night didn’t start until close to 12.30am and then finished shortly after 3am!

Nine again enjoyed the biggest primary and combined channel shares, keeping its primary share over 20% for the third successive night and its combined share over 30% for the fourth consecutive night.

See our separate features this week with a deeper dive into the Australian Open TV ratings from the first week of the tournament.

The Thursday tennis audiences were as follows:

• Day 4 evening 619,000 • Day 4 late 349,000 • Day 4 day 269,000

At breakfast, Today had its smallest national audience this week and lost leadership to Sunrise in Sydney.

10

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! has now finished first in its timeslot all people and key demos for five successive nights. The Thursday audience was down a little on the previous nights, but it remained close to 700,000. Celebrity actually managed to improve in its timeslot on the corresponding night 12 months ago when 10 was broadcasting a Big Bash League match.

The network is teasing the arrival of an ex-Footy Show host in the jungle next Monday night.

The Project was on 431,000 after 7pm.

The Conners did 284,000 and 200,000 for two episodes later in the night.

ABC

The recently launched Escape From The City was at Daylesford last night with 427,000.

People living the dream (or sometimes a nightmare) followed with GrandDesigns Australia on 365,000.

SBS

Vikings was the channel’s best with 139,000.

Earlier in the night World News did 107,000.

Week 3 TV: Thursday

THURSDAY METRO

ABC

Seven

Nine

10

SBS

ABC

11.0%

7

15.6%

9

22.7%

10

13.1%

SBS One

3.3%

ABC 2

2.4%

7TWO

4.3%

GO!

3.7%

10 Bold

4.6%

VICELAND

1.2%

ABC ME

0.7%

7mate

2.9%

GEM

2.7%

10 Peach

2.8%

Food Net

1.1%

ABC NEWS

1.7%

7flix

2.3%

9Life

2.1%

NITV

0.3%

7Food

1.4%

TOTAL

15.8%

26.6%

31.3%

20.4%

5.9%

THURSDAY REGIONAL

ABC

Seven Affiliates

Nine Affiliates

10 Affiliates

SBS

ABC

11.7%

7

15.1%

9

16.5%

WIN

14.1%

SBS One

3.1%

ABC 2

2.8%

7TWO

6.3%

GO!

4.8%

WIN Bold

4.9%

VICELAND

1.4%

ABC ME

1.0%

7mate

3.4%

GEM

3.7%

WIN Peach

2.9%

Food Net

1.5%

ABC NEWS

1.7%

7flix

2.7%

9Life

2.1%

Sky News on WIN

0.1%

NITV

0.3%

TOTAL

17.2%

27.5%

27.1%

22.0%

6.3%

THURSDAY METRO ALL TV

FTA

STV

85.4%

14.6%

THURSDAY FTA

Seven News Seven 894,000

Seven News / Today Tonight Seven 807,000

Nine News 6:30 Nine 765,000

Nine News Nine 751,000

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 10 678,000

ABC News ABC 637,000

2019 Australian Open Day 4 -Night Nine 619,000

The Chase Australia Seven 539,000

7.30 Summer ABC 470,000

Seven’s Cricket: Big Bash League – Bris V Syd Thun Seven 466,000

Seven’s Cricket: Big Bash League – Bris V Syd Thun S1 Seven 454,000

The Project 7pm 10 431,000

Escape From The City ABC 427,000

Seven’s Cricket: Big Bash League – Bris V Syd Thun S2 Seven 401,000

10 News First 10 375,000

Grand Designs Australia ABC 365,000

2019 Australian Open Day 4 -Late Nine 349,000

2019 Australian Open Day 4 -Night Pre Match Nine 343,000

The Chase Australia-5pm Seven 322,000

Sunrise Seven 289,000

Demo Top 5

16-39 Top Five

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 10 164,000

2019 Australian Open Day 4 -Night Nine 151,000

Seven’s Cricket: Big Bash League – Bris V Syd Thun Seven 115,000

Seven News Seven 104,000

Seven’s Cricket: Big Bash League – Bris V Syd Thun S2 Seven 102,000

18-49 Top Five

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 10 308,000

2019 Australian Open Day 4 -Night Nine 227,000

Nine News 6:30 Nine 186,000

Seven News Seven 176,000

Nine News Nine 169,000

25-54 Top Five

I’m A Celebrity…Get Me Out Of Here! 10 351,000

2019 Australian Open Day 4 -Night Nine 235,000

Nine News 6:30 Nine 228,000

Seven News Seven 225,000

Nine News Nine 207,000

THURSDAY MULTICHANNEL

Father Brown PM 7TWO 187,000

Murdoch Mysteries PM 7TWO 157,000

NCIS (R) 10 Bold 152,000

Bondi Rescue Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 150,000

Peter Rabbit ABCKIDS/COMEDY 143,000

Ben And Holly’s Little Kingdom ABCKIDS/COMEDY 141,000

Octonauts ABCKIDS/COMEDY 139,000

Dino Dana ABCKIDS/COMEDY 130,000

Hawaii Five-O (R) 10 Bold 128,000

Bluey PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 124,000

Hey Duggee AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 123,000

Rusty Rivets ABCKIDS/COMEDY 122,000

Neighbours 10 Peach 120,000

Peppa Pig PM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 120,000

Peppa Pig AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 119,000

Young Sheldon Tx1 – (R) 9GO! 118,000

Hawaii Five-O Ep 2 (R) 10 Bold 118,000

Luo Bao Bei AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 117,000

Young Sheldon – (R) 9GO! 115,000

Dot. AM ABCKIDS/COMEDY 114,000

THURSDAY STV

Live: Between The Innings FOX CRICKET 207,000

Live: BBL: Heat V Thunder FOX CRICKET 176,000

Live: BBL: Heat V Thunder FOX CRICKET 145,000

Live: BBL Post Game FOX CRICKET 66,000

Bones TVH!TS 54,000

Criminal Minds TVH!TS 44,000

Live: B4 The Bash! FOX CRICKET 42,000

Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 42,000

Call The Midwife BBC First 40,000

Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 40,000

NCIS TVH!TS 37,000

Family Guy FOX8 33,000

Grand Designs LifeStyle Channel 31,000

Yes Minister FOX Classics 31,000

Nella The Princess Knight Nick Jr. 30,000

Live PD: Police Patrol crime + investigation 30,000

Shimmer And Shine Nick Jr. 30,000

Paw Patrol Nick Jr. 30,000

Top Wing Nick Jr. 27,000

CSI: Crime Scene Investigation TVH!TS 27,000

Shares all people, 6pm-midnight, Overnight (Live and AsLive), Audience numbers FTA metro, Sub TV nationalSource: OzTAM and Regional TAM 2018. The Data may not be reproduced, published or communicated (electronically or in hard copy) without the prior written consent of OzTAM

Media News Roundup

Business of Media

Netflix Q4 2018: Subscribers, revenue climb in last quarter

Netflix posted lower-than-expected quarterly revenue on Thursday, despite a slate of original content the streaming pioneer released in the quarter including hit thriller Bird Box, sending its shares down 3%, reports Reuters.

The company said it added 8.84m paid global streaming subscribers in the fourth quarter. It said it expects global paid streaming net subscriber additions of 8.90m in the current quarter.

The company has been adding subscribers at a good clip, fuelled by a ramped up spending on original content. The company had said it planned to spend US$8 billion in 2018, US$1 billion more than 2017, on creating original content.

Meanwhile CNBC reports Netflix says it’s more scared of Fortnite and YouTube than Disney and Amazon:

Stop it with all the talk about Netflix losing subscribers from the oncoming deluge of streaming services. Netflix says you’re focusing on the wrong thing.

It’s not Disney’s new streaming video service or HBO or Amazon that Netflix is worried about, the company said today in its letter to shareholders. Netflix estimates it has already earned about 10% of all US television screen time. The company also shared viewership statistics for some of its exclusives, boasting that Bird Box netted 80m viewers in its first four weeks on Netflix, while You will get about 40m over the same period.

Instead, it’s newer forms of entertainment – such as Fortnite and Google’s YouTube – that got shout-outs in the company’s letter as stronger competitors.

“Our focus is not on Disney+, Amazon or others, but on how we can improve our experience for others,” Netflix said in its shareholder letter. “We compete with (and lose to) Fortnite more than HBO. When YouTube went down globally for a few minutes in October, our viewing and signups spiked for that time.”

Netflix came up with the 10% statistics because it says it serves 100 million hours a day to TV screens in the US, where people spend an aggregate 1 billion hours a day watching TV.

Big borrower Foxtel calls in banks as debt deal looms

Foxtel is considering a return to the United States capital markets, as part of a refinance of its wider debt stack.

The AFR’s Street Talk reports Foxtel management has recently turned its sights to the company’s $2.5 billion-odd debt pile, with maturities due on some of its regular bank debt and debt securities issued to American investors via the United States Privately Placed (USPP) market.

Foxtel executives were given 12 to 18 months to turn the business around, at which point it’s believed News Corp will closely analyse its next move and could cut its losses and sell the business. “Keep an eye both on the number of new customers and obviously the average revenue per user,” News Corp chief executive Robert Thomson told investors in November when asked how they should analyse Foxtel’s performance.

Carsales CEO Cameron McIntyre wants half his business to be global

Carsales chief executive Cameron McIntyre believes the company’s international business has the chance to contribute more than half of overall earnings, but he is conscious of the challenges of taking the digital automotive classifieds business overseas, reports The AFR’s Max Mason.

McIntyre was a key part of developing Carsales’ international strategy, which began in 2012, after he spent nine years at the business under co-founder Greg Roebuck.

Carsales now has businesses in Mexico, Chile, Argentina, Brazil and South Korea and international business contributes 20% of the company’s revenue. It has also opened offices for its vehicle-inspection and report business Redbook in China, Thailand, Malaysia and New Zealand.

Disney’s Fox purchase ‘a losing game’, says Loftus Peak’s Alex Pollak

Fund manager and former top media analyst Alex Pollak thinks Walt Disney’s acquisition last year of 21st Century Fox’s entertainment assets for $US71.3 billion (AUS$97 billion) is nothing short of weird, reports The AFR’s Natasha Gillezeau.

“It is a struggle to understand why the House of Mouse bothered,” the Loftus Peak chief investment officer wrote in his latest investor update.

In one of the largest media mergers in history, Disney now owns assets including Fox’s TV jewels (The Simpsons, Modern Family, This is Us) and Fox’s Marvel films (X-Men, Fantastic Four and Deadpool). Fox Sports and Fox News is going to “New Fox”, with Lachlan Murdoch as chief executive.

However, Pollak is sceptical. The seasoned investor, who has successfully backed industry disruptors, said both Disney and Fox rely on revenue streams focused on selling content (TV, movies, and news shows) to cable or pay TV companies – and both these revenue streams are “under threat” from services such as Netflix, which are considerably cheaper than US pay TV providers.

James Murdoch setting up office to manage swelling fortune

James Murdoch, head of 21st Century Fox and son of one of the world’s wealthiest men, is setting up his own family office as the Murdochs are poised to cash in on the breakup of the media giant, reports Bloomberg.

The office will be based in New York and have a staff of about 10 people, according to a person familiar with the decision, who asked not to be identified because the matter is private.

After dropping out of Harvard University, James Murdoch founded a hip-hop record label that was bought by his father, bringing him into the corporate fold. He owns about $US9 million worth of shares of 21st Century Fox and $US3.5 million of Tesla, where he’s a board member, according to regulatory filings. He’s also received $US95 million in pay over the past three years as CEO of the media conglomerate, including $US50 million for the year ended June 30, 2018.

His siblings also have done well. Lachlan, 47, who is 21st Century Fox’s co-chairman, received a similar amount in compensation as James over the past three years. Elisabeth founded television production company Shine, which her father’s company bought for $US675 million in 2011.

Leslie Moonves taking CBS to arbitration over $120m severance

Leslie Moonves, the former chief executive of CBS, plans to fight a decision by the company’s board that denied him a US$120m severance payment after he was fired for cause following numerous allegations of sexual misconduct, reports The New York Times.

Moonves, 69, told CBS that he was demanding an arbitration hearing, according to a securities filing on Wednesday. His termination agreement gives him that right, and he had up to 30 days after his December 17 firing to challenge the board’s decision to not pay him the severance.

Under the terms of his termination agreement, CBS has been paying Moonves’s legal fees, making it easier for him to challenge the board through an arbitration hearing. The process could end up costing CBS as much as US$50m in lawyers’ fees. But should CBS prevail, Moonves would have to foot the bill himself.

CBS could settle with Moonves, but that could create a public-relations nightmare for a network that has undergone a companywide reckoning in the wake of the #MeToo movement.

News Brands

Craig McLachlan's defamation trial against the ABC, Fairfax delayed

Craig McLachlan’s defamation trial against the ABC, Fairfax and an actor has been delayed until after criminal proceedings in Victoria are completed, reports ABC News’ Kathleen Calderwood.

Last week he was charged with indecent and common assault in Victoria, and yesterday his lawyer Stuart Littlemore QC applied to have the defamation proceedings delayed until those criminal charges are dealt with.

Justice Lucy McCallum granted a stay on the trial – only two weeks before it was scheduled to start on February 4 – saying the result of the defamation proceedings would have been prejudicial to McLachlan’s criminal trial.

Today’s Brooke Boney weighs in on debate around Australia Day

Channel Nine entertainment reporter Brooke Boney has weighed in on debate around the date on which Australia Day should be held with passionate personal comments about what the day means to her, reports ABC News.

Boney, the first Indigenous commercial breakfast TV presenter with the network’s Today program, was careful to point out that she believed Australia was the greatest country in the world and she was not out to lecture others on what to do or how to celebrate.

She said for her, January 26 was not the ideal date on which to hold a national celebration.

Her comments follow calls from tennis legend Pat Cash to move the date.

“It’s mind boggling, the idiot that came up with that date, to think that we should be celebrating that,” he told Channel Nine.

“Let’s celebrate any other date so we can all join in.”

Boney, who presented the news on the triple j breakfast program until last year, spoke about why the date was problematic for her.

“I can’t separate the 26th of January from the fact that my brothers are more likely to go to jail than they are to go to school,” she said.

“Or that my little sisters or my mum are more likely to be beaten and raped than anyone else’s sisters or mum and that started from that day.

“For me it’s a difficult day and I don’t want to celebrate it.

“Any other day of the year I’ll tie an Australia flag around my neck and I’ll run through the streets with anyone else.”

Television

‘I’m not copping this from you’: Sam Dastyari & Jacqui Lambie clash

As two of the more outspoken contestants on I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here! it was only a matter of time before Sam Dastyari and Jacqui Lambie would butt heads, reports The SMH’s Genevieve Rota.

The pair, who both come from political backgrounds, got into a heated debate on Thursday night about capital punishment – and they didn’t exactly see eye to eye on the controversial topic.

Dastyari and Lambie have almost completed a full week in the South African jungle, surviving on food rations and taking on tough challenges in the hope of winning $100,000 for the charity of their choice.

Both contestants have been characteristically vocal since entering the show on Sunday night, with Lambie opening up about her suicide attempt in 2009, and Dastyari speaking about his marriage breakdown and very public fall from grace after a Chinese donations scandal in 2017.

Natasha Exelby opens up about 2013 shock television sacking

She was famously caught playing with her pen during a live news bulletin but that isn’t the only career speed bump Natasha Exelby has faced, reports news.com.au’s Hannah Paine.

On Thursday night’s episode of I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here! the journalist opened up about her battle with depression as she spoke of the “dark place” she went into after being sacked from a breakfast show after just 16 days.

In 2013, Exelby was chosen to co-host Network 10’s new breakfast show Wake Up, but just days into the role she was fired by the show’s executive producer, Adam Boland, in a carpark.

The firing was made all the worse it meant she was no longer employed by 10 and found out just 45 minutes before the sacking was publicly announced, Exelby told her camp mates.

Channel Seven Brisbane announces Sofie Formica replacement

Courtenay Thorpe and Billy Bentley the new faces of The Great Day Out, reports The Courier-Mail’s Kristy Symonds.

The beauty queen, who shot her first episode with The Great Day Out in late 2016, and the former Couch Time star, who first filmed with the long-running Channel Seven lifestyle program in late 2017, will move from being casual presenters to taking on larger roles with the show as it switches to an ensemble format this year.

It comes after popular former host Sofie Formica handed in her resignation in September, with her last episode airing in November.

Alex Garipoli, Seven’s head of Queensland productions, told Confidential The Great Day Out would no longer have a traditional host and would explore new ways of presenting the show this year including in the digital realm.

“We have an outstanding ensemble cast and this year we have new and exciting ways of presenting content but I don’t want to say too much – you will have to wait and see,” he said.

Streaming shutdown: Sony discontinuing Crackle in Latin America

The streaming service will cease operations in the region on April 30. “Crackle Latin America is not sustainable in the present highly competitive local environment,” Keith Le Goy, Sony president of worldwide distribution, wrote in an email to staff that was obtained by The Hollywood Reporter.

Crackle served as a subscription service in Latin America, while its US counterpart has operated as a free, ad-supported offering. Le Goy noted that the closure of Crackle in the region is unrelated to the operation of the US business, for which Sony is currently seeking strategic partners.

“OTT/direct-to-consumer remains an incredibly important area for our evolving industry, and we will persist in exploring other opportunities in the space,” Le Goy wrote, adding that Sony will remain focused on Canal Sony and AXN businesses in the region.

Radio

Breakfast tears: Chezzi Denyer breaks down on 2Day FM

Grant Denyer’s wife broke down in tears on radio as she relived the horrific things the TV star did when he was on strong medication after a serious accident, reports news.com.au’s Andrew Bucklow.

Chezzi Denyer called into the 2Day FM breakfast show Thursday morning as her husband and his co-hosts, Ed Kavalee and Ash London, discussed his 2008 Monster Truck accident that left Denyer with a broken back.

The couple had only just started dating at the time of the accident and Chezzi quickly found herself as Grant’s full-time carer when he returned home from hospital to recover.